mo_sen_BOND
SEN. CHRISTOPHER "KIT" BOND
Age: 59 Born: March 6, 1939 in St. Louis, Missouri Education: University of Virginia, LL.B. (1963); Princeton University, B.A. (1960) Military: none Family: Divorced; 1 child Hometown: Mexico, Missouri Religion: Presbyterian Career: U.S. Senator (1986-present); Missouri Governor (1972-76, 1980-84); MO Auditor (1970-72); MO Assistant Attorney General (1969-70); Attorney |
· Incumbent Sen. Christopher Kit Bond was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1986. His opponent Democrat Lt. Governor Harriett Woods ran ads showing an emotional farmer and his wife who referred to Bond by name when they recalled an insurance companyÂ's foreclosure on their farm. The negative ads backfired and Bond defeated Woods with almost 57% of the vote.
· In the Senate, Bond spent his first term focusing on local issues. He sought legislation to protect the wild horses of the Ozarks and secured contracts for the stateÂ's largest employer McDonnell Douglas - the nationÂ's largest defense contractor.
· During BondÂ's second term, his voting record is a mix of conservative and moderate bi-partisan votes. He was the chief Republican sponsor of the Family Medical Leave Act and worked with Rhode Island Democrat John Chaffee to design an alternative to ClintonÂ's healthcare plan in 1993. Yet, Bond has been criticized for his votes against the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Minimum Wage increase.
· Bond served two non-consecutive terms as Missouri Governor. At 33, he was the youngest Governor in state history when he was first elected in 1972. Four years later, Bond lost his bid for relection to Democrat Joseph Teasdale - but he came back to defeat Teasdale in 1980 for a second term. During his tenure, he pushed for state government reorganization and campaigreform.
· Sen. Bond secured additional funding for midwest flooding victims - including money to repair damaged levees the federal government had overlooked.
· In August 1997, BondÂ's campaign faced a setback. Mother Jones magazine reported BondÂ's longtime aide and consultant, Don Sipple, abused two of his former wives. The following month, Bond cut all ties with Sipple. Sipple has denied the charges and sued the magazine for libel.